Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling air flow to an engine room of a vehicle and an air flow control system including the same, and more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling air flow to an engine room of a vehicle and an air flow control system including the same capable of enhancing cooling performance and aerodynamic performance of a vehicle.
Description of Related Art
In general, a radiator for cooling an engine and a condenser for condensing a refrigerant of an air-conditioner are installed in a vehicle, and temperatures of the radiator and the condenser are lowered by driving a cooling fan. When a vehicle is started at an initial stage, it is advantageous for a temperature of an engine to be quickly increased to an appropriate level for the sake of fuel efficiency (or mileage) and it is necessary to maintain the engine at an appropriate temperature.
Conventionally, cooling fans are operated by driving an engine. With this mechanical method, however, when an engine is driven, a cooling fan should be driven all the time, degrading fuel efficiency of a vehicle.
Recently, a method of driving an electrical motor is used. A cooling fan is driven only when necessary according to operational states of a vehicle, improving fuel efficiency, and thus, this method is increasingly used.
Meanwhile, when a running speed of a vehicle increases, aero-dynamic characteristics significantly affect fuel efficiency and speed of the vehicle, and when air introduced to an engine room of the vehicle at a high speed is blocked, drag generated as air passes through the engine room is reduced, improving fuel efficiency.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.